The newest Wiarton Willie's prediction is in the books and it is six more weeks of winter.

A large crowd braved the frigid temperatures Friday morning to hear the pug-nosed prognosticator's first prediction after taking over for his predecessor, who died in September.

“It is six more weeks. He was very clear and I understood him. He is awesome. He is a great little guy,” South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Janice Jackson said immediately following the prediction. “I am looking forward to see him predict the weather for another 10 or 15 years.”

The prediction marked the first for the newest Wiarton Willie, a three-year-old groundhog that was found on a farm in Oro-Medonte a few years ago.

The Willie he replaces was 13 years old when he was found dead in his enclosure on Sept. 16, having served as the town's weather-predicting rodent for the past 11 years.

Organizers said the newest rodent had lots of time to prepare for his prediction having been the understudy of the previous Willie for a couple of years.

By the time Willie made his prediction at 8:07 a.m., the crowd in front of the stage had grown to fill the parking lot, despite the temperatures that hovered around the -16 Celcius mark with the wind chill making it feel much colder.

“We hand a wonderful crowd this morning and I think that this festival is just getting bigger every year and people are coming from a long distance to have some fun with us,” said Jackson. “This is wonderful and I am very, very proud of our community and Willie himself.”

Among those in attendance on Friday were Kim Wallace and her five-year-old son Cooper, who actually found Willie in their woodpile in their backyard.

“We had first thought we had a neighbour's guinea pig in our backyard,” said Wallace. “When we finally figured out it was a groundhog, he stayed for about a month living in our backyard.

“We lived trapped him, called the town of Wiarton and brought him here.”

Young Cooper, who was three when Willie was found, said he was having a lot of fun on Friday and was happy to see Willie again, who had become like a pet to him.

“He actually stuck around in the back yard for quite a while,” said Wallace. “Actually he wasn't afraid of us anymore by the time he was live trapped.”

Wallace said they had never been to the festival before, having always watched it on television in the past, but said it was extra special to be able to be a part of it now.

“It is pretty big and our son is a little bit overwhelmed,” said Wallace. “We didn't think there would be this many people wanting his photo and wanting to chat today.”

Over the years several albino marmots have served as Wiarton Willie, who according to legend, can predict whether or not there will be an early spring or six more weeks of winter depending on if he can see his shadow on Feb. 2.

Willie's death in 1999 made international headlines when he died just two days before his big prediction at the old age of 22. No replacement was available so festival organizers presented a stuffed groundhog in a coffin with coins over its eyes on Groundhog Day.

The town got three new groundhogs from the Ottawa area but two of them were found dead inside their pen outside the Wiarton library. It is believed they may have frozen to death or succumbed to some consequence of water seepage into their tunnel. The remaining rodent served as Willie until he died of an infection in 2006 at age 8.

This year also marks the first year the festivities take place following the death of the event's founder MacMcKenzie, who died on Aug. 10 at age 90.

The festivities have been held in Wiarton since 1956 when McKenzie decided to throw a mid-winter party in a local tavern with some friends.

Friday morning's festivities kicked off early, before the sun came up with fireworks at 7 a.m., followed by music and dancing. A long line snaked out of the community centre as hundreds lined up for a free pancake breakfast.

Mary Lou Mailloux of Sauble Beach said she has been coming to the event for years, but this year she also wanted to show support for the new Willie.

“It is a long winter and it is a lot of fun. It is just plain fun,” said Mailloux, who admitted she was hoping for an early spring, but friends of hers are skiers so they were hoping for six more weeks of winter. She said Willie can't get it wrong, no matter what his prediction is.

“We are just here to support him,” said Mailloux, who was bundled up, sporting a Willie nose.

Bill and Susan Sadler of the Town of the Blue Mountains were at their first prediction after moving to the Blue Mountains a couple of years ago.

“We have watched it on television for years, but have never been able to make it up,” Bill said. “It is a little chilly, but it is great.”

He said the fireworks first thing in the morning were spectacular.

“The fireworks were just brilliant. They were beautiful. It is the first time in my life I have ever seen fireworks in the morning,” said Bill, who added they would likely return again.

Susan said her first taste of the Wiarton Willie festival was great, adding that it was important to keep moving to keep her toes alive.

“I am really liking the entertainment and the spirit of everyone coming out on a cold morning,” Susan said. “We really didn't know what to expect. When you see it on TV on Breakfast Television you don't really get the same feeling. This is really great.”

Prediction morning isn't the end of the fun in Wiarton this weekend, as events were scheduled to continue throughout the day Friday and Saturday and into Sunday as part of a rejuvinated Wiarton Willie Festival being led by a group of area volunteers.

A full festival line-up can be found at www.wiartonwillie.com or on Facebook under Wiarton Willie Festival.

Among the entertainment and events running throughout the day on Friday and Saturday include skating, sleigh rides, snow art and snowman building, and 8-ball, curling, volleyball and hockey tournaments.

On Saturday there will be a pancake breakfast at St. John's United Church beginning at 8 a.m., a Cheap Chili Chowdown at the Masonic Hall at 11 a.m., a fish dinner at the Meeting Place beginning at 4 p.m., as well as the Groundhog Bash at the Meeting Place and the Lion's Club Willie Dance at the arena, both at 9 p.m.

On Sunday the Groundhog Jog takes place at Peninsula Shores District School at 7:30 a.m., with the Road Breakers Road Hockey Tournament commencing at 10 a.m. near the arena.